Steering-gear for automobiles.



10.885,249. l Y 'EATENTEE APE. 21, '1908.

l J.- 0. EIGDON. STEERING `EEEE E oE AUTOMOBILES.

APPLICATION FILED DEU. 4, 1906.

UNTTED sTATEs .PATENT oEEI'oE.-

JOHN CLARIQHIGDON, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

STEERING-GEAR FOR .AUTOIVIOB-Il'iEIS.`

` specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 21, 1908.

Application filed December 4, 1906. Serial No. 346,381.

"buggies, orautomobiles, `of that .class in which the front axle is in an integral piece, and is pivoted at the center of itsl length.

The object of my'invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive steering attachment for the buggies now in common use, whereby the same may. be quickly converted into automobiles without altering any part of the buggy.l

In the drawings :.-Figure 1 is a side eleva' tion showing an ordinary buggy in dotted lines, with my improved steering gear applied thereto; Fig-2 is a plan view; Fig. 3 is a detail view of the thill coupling steering attachment. s

Referring by numerals to the drawings v11 and 2 respectively indicate the usual nonrevoluble front and rear axles having the reach-and springs supporting the usual body, although it will of course be understood that I do not coniine myself. to this form of running gear reach or body, and my attachmentf may as well be applied to any other form of vehicle now being propelled by animal power.

It will be observed that I have not changed any portion of the running gear or body,

with the sole exception that I have omitted the usual shafts or tongue, and have fitted to the front axle one of the usual thill shackles 3, and short vertical steerin stubs 4, which are twisted slightly inward y and have a hole near ltheir upper ends. Extending through the holes in the u per ends of the stubs 4 -are steering rods 5 Iaving their outer ends threaded, and provided with adjusting nuts whereby said lrods may be 'tightened or' loosened. The inner ends of said' rods 5 are preferably provided withan eye 6a, or other suitable means for connectf.

ingthe same to the common-.sprocket chain 7, which latter conn'eots'the inner ends of' said steering rods, and asses/over asprocket.l

is xed on the lower wheel or pinion 8, whic end of a steering post l9.

AAn ordinary steering Wheel 10 is fixed upon 'I the upper end of said steering post 9. Said ingly 1noved,"and the direction of the vehicle` will be altered as the operator desires. The

front wheels I2 and rear wheels 13 are of the usual form, and of comparatively large diam- '.eter, 'and are loosely mounted to rotate on the axles.

49 indicates a combined retainerand friction brake for the steering chain 7. This part 49 is preferably in the form of a flat steel spring, one end o whichA is secured to the cross bar 6.1 by means of bolts 5D, and the free end 'f said part 49 is made to .forcibly engage said chain 7, in order to hold the same firmly-in position upon the steering pinion .8, and also. for the purpose of 'retarding the movementthereof, as it is clear that by forcing said part 49 into contact with the chain, the movement of same will therebybe impeded an amount corres onding to the pressure imposed upon sai chain by said part 49. l

In operation, part 49 has proven highly.

eflicaoious, lpreventin sudden iiuctuations of the steering whee 10 when the front wheels 12 strike a large obstruction. In

manipulating the steering wheel 10, the op` erator will of course understand that by -turnin the said wheel in one direction, the front a e l-will be swiveled in a corresponding direction, and viceversa.

y 1. A steerin gear for motorvehicles, the front axles o which swivel horizontally, comprising a steering ost, arranged for op eration inthe body'o the vehicle, a pinion l fixed on the lower end of the steering post, a chainen aging 'the teeth of the pinion, connections gbetween the ends of the chain and the outer portions of the swiveled axles, and a chain retainer fixed to the vehicle frame and adapted to hold said chain on said pinion.

2. The 'combination with a motor vehicle,

the frontaxle of which is arranged to swing Vse in a horizontal plane, of a steering ost arranged for operation in the vehicle ody, a pinion fixed on the lower end of the post, a chain engaging the teeth of the pinion, a resilient friction, member fixed to the body of the Vehicle and engaging the face of the chain directly opposite the pinion, clips fixed on the i front axle adjacent the ends thereof, and rods connected to the ends of the chain and to the clips. l

3. The combination With a inotor'vehicle, the front axle of which is arranged to swing in a horizontal plane, of a steering ost arranged for rotation in the Vehicle ody, a lhandle 'fixed on the post, a inion fixed on the lower end of the post, a c lain engaging the teeth of the pinion, a resilient friction men1- ber fixed to the vehicle body and engaging the face of the chain adjacent the pinion, clips fixed on the front axle adjacent its ends, stubs detachably seated in the clips, rods adjustably connected at their outer ends to the essaie pinion, connections between t-he ends of the chain and the front axle, a resilient friction member fixed at one end to the vehicle body, and its free end bearing against the face oi' the chain directly opposite the face engaged bythe pinion, and means whereby the pinion 'is rotated.

in testimony whereof, l have signed my naine to this speeiiication, 1n presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN CLARK HIGDON. Witnesses M. P. SMITH, E. L. WALLACE. 

